WillowRaven Blog

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Tainted ~ Book cover art & design

Tainted, D. Hart St. Martin's second book in her Lisen of Solsta book series went through many artistic phases. At one point, a specific physical characteristic of the MC was intended to be shown, but too many other factors made that impractical. Even though a lot of work went into that attribute, just to have it made so subtle,you can only see it if you know to look for it, I think the subtlety adds a bit of mystery. (See if you can find her unique attribute which is barely noticeable.)

book blurb:

In Fractured, Lisen Holt, Valley girl, beach lover, learned she doesn't belong on Earth. Re-adapting to Garla, the place of her birth, proved difficult, but the greater challenge was learning that she is the Heir-Empir and must confront her brother for the throne. Witnessing her only friend’s murder, defending her own life with forbidden power, and succumbing to possession by her friend’s soul left Lisen fractured, with little hope she’d ever recover.

The story continues in Tainted with Lisen and her guardian companion, Korin, traveling to the great desert of Thristas. They hope to find safety in the anonymity of the barren wilderness, out of the range of Garlan spies. There, Lisen learns the ways of Thristas and its fierce people who view Garla’s Empir as a tyrant. In an effort to prove their sincerity, Lisen and Korin participate in the Farii, the spring fertility ritual which changes everything for Lisen. She returns to Garla with a brilliant but damning plan that she believes will ensure her victory against her brother.

D. Hart St. Martin continues to explore the role of sexism in our culture by presenting us with Garla, a world functioning without sex-based stereotypes. In Lisen, readers find a hero who acts without waiting for a man to fix or do everything for her, and she’s not alone. The women of Garla, angel or demon, exhibit strength, courage and daring to equal that of their male counterparts. Young women will treasure every moment immersed in this world. Look for Blooded, the final and climactic volume in the Lisen of Solsta trilogy, coming in 2015.